Once Upon A Time
by Addola
Summary: Once upon a time... Some young mobians try to save the world, as always. But their lives are so different from the canon ones. Knuckles hasn't met anyone of his friends yet, he's becoming the guardian of the Master Emerald now, at twenty years old and many dangers are conspiring against him. Will he be able to sustain the battle?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Rather be free**

Once upon a time,

There was an island called Angel Island but noone knows why. It was particular and different from the other islands of the planet Mobius because it was elevated from the earth thanks to a big green gem, that stood in the highest part of a tower in the center of the Mystic Ruins. The Mystic Ruins was a huge space covered with a lot of antique ruins, but, in the middle of it, stood the tower that was mentioned before, the one with the green gem, that was called, from its inhabitants, Master Emerald.

It was said that the Master Emerald was the most powerful gem in the entire universe, and its power can do unimaginable things. It was not too easy to control it, though. First of all, only the guardian of the Master Emerald can control it and uses its power. To know all its secrets, the temporary guardian has to study the language of the tribe, and does a strong training to truly understand what the use of the gem means. It requires twenty years of preparation before becoming the guardian of it, and of all the island.

The Mystic Ruins, and its population were a sort of reign and the guardian had the same duties that a prince normally has.

That day was a special one for the echidnas tribe: a new prince, better called a new guardian's coronation.

People from all the zones came to see who would protect the biggest conteiner of power, their new guide, who would also protect their lives.

It was an enormous responsibility for the red echidna, that in one hour would walk out the castle, in where he lived for twenty years without ever go out of it. Except for once.

Knuckles the echidna was looking out of the window. He was in his room, a big room with every kind of luxurious and elegance which didn't matter to the new guardian. He sighed, thinking about what he lost in these years. He knew it very well, he went out only once in his life and only that time he saw what freedom means. He had ever wanted to be free, to not to be under the law, under the will of other people. He just wanted to live his life as the rest of the young people did.

He saw a lot of mobians that were arriving, standing down the shrine of the altar of the Master Emerald, waiting for him, waiting to see their new prince. He closed his eyes, wondering if he would ever be up to their expectations.

Then, he removed his gaze to the window, he turned around and went near his bed, where he saw something that remembered him his parents. His mother Lara and his father Locke. They died some times ago, due to an ambush to the tribe. He was looking at a book where he made a lot of drawings... Since he was a child, he had ever had a great imagination. He missed his parents so much. After the dead of his father, twelve years ago, he lived with his uncle Simon, his cousin Percy (Simon's son) and his aunt Marie. And the guards around the castle, and maybe other people that he didn't know.

_Meanwhile down the shrine..._

"A great day! A great day, my dear. You'll see... The new guardian will be as honest and as courageous as his father was. He will protect us from all the dangers." Said a mother rabbit to her little daughter.

The child smiled and hugged her mother.

"Yes mom, I believe you!"

Near this sweet couple of rabbits stood an other group composed by a blue hedgehog with a skeptical expression on his face, that was looking at a pink hedgehog, younger than him, that was instead exited and had a dreamy look. She was continuously talking, looking first to her clothes, than to the other hedgehog and also to a little orange fox, who thought that she was probably more excited for the dress she was wearing more than for the importance of the event itself.

"Do you believe?! We, I repeat, WE are really here, in the most famous island of the world, wearing elegant and fabulous clothes, waiting to see the Prince!"

"Amy, calm down. He is simply a guardian. The guardian of a green gem and me and you know that his life will be summarized in passing every day doing nothing, like a watchdog, but being anyway recognized as a hero." Answered rudely the blue one.

"Don't be so cruel Sonic! I think he is a good person, I know that the echidnas are an intelligent race... He will protect the most powerful gem of the world anyway." Intervened the fox called Tails.

"Well Tails is right and I think I know why Sonic behaves in that way"

"Yeah, huh? I'm listening."

"You are simply jealous, my dear." Said Amy with a sweet smile on her face.

"That's a big lie! The stupidest thing you could say!" Screamed the blue hedgehog. Amy pouted. Sonic continued: "You know Tails, you could be right but think only this: he is twenty! He is only a young guy like me! How could he guide and protect us, alone, with his own forces?"

Tails stood for a moment in silence thinking of the words of his best friend.

"What you are saying is licit. It's hard to think that a young echidna can save all the population of this world. But you don't have to worry, he prepared for years with a hard training, he's ready for that." Said a thirty-year-old woman to an other. Her friend answered:"I heard that there are many people that wanted that gem, the radios don't stop saying that. They speak about a crazy doctor called Robotnik, who would create an entire robotic army, but also about a group of thieves that is hiding in some place, probably in the Night Babylon, but noone ever found that group of criminals. How could a... An almost child live with that burden?"

"Poor child. He lost his parents years ago, you know?"

"Oh yes, I've heard of that. And nobody knows who the killer was. It was said that it was an ambush... But there was no proof. Poor child."

At the same time, there was someone that stood over one of the highest branches of a tree. Her big ears were picking up every single word that could be relevant for the mission she was sent in that place that day.

She was wearing a dark and tight suit, that didn't let people see who she was. The obviously things were her big ears, her ability to hide, without anyone who noticed her, even if she was near to them and... Her not-good intentions.

_Hey there! Here's the first chapter!_

_Please, tell me my mistakes, I know they are many! I'm Italian so my English is surely not perfect... I hope it will be at least decent. _

_Tell me what you think about the storyline too... I really like tales so I wanted to write a Sonic&friends adventure, in a way it seems an old tale. I try to make the characters sound and act as their canon feature. But, obviously the circumstances are different from the original ones, so they would probably not be exactly the same as the original characters. _

_I did my best, I think. _

_Hope you have enjoyed the chapter!_

_Till next time :)_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: No more the same

**Hey! I think I have to add a Legenda for this chapter, to better understand the changes of time, that will shifts from present to past. So: **

**Writing in italics= past; **

**Normal writing=present. **

**And that will be the same for the other chapters too. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter, let me know what you think!**

A gunshot and a loud thud were the only things that he heard.

For those few intense moments it was as if his whole body was paralyzed. What was going on? He kept on watching the people in front of him, everyone with a shaken face. Turning round his head in that moment was one of the hardest thing he had ever done. He was thinking of nothing, he was terrified of what he would have found.

When he saw who was the body on the ground, covered with a lot of blood, he almost lost the breath.

_"Daddy, why haven't I got a mom?" _

_Locke sighed. He knew that one day this moment would have arrived. But how can he explain to a four-year-old child that his mother died shortly after his birth? _

_"Well Knuckles, it is a long story... We're not all the same. It can happen that... Sometimes, in the life, not everything goes the way we hope, or as we thought it was going. We had had a great power my son, your mother is always watching us from above, and she will always be with us." _

_The little Knuckles wasn't sure he truly understood his father's words. It seemed to him nothing but meaningless phrases and also that his dad wanted to hide something. _

_All the time Locke ended that kind of conversation with: "You are still too young to understand". _

Everyone was screaming and no one really understood what had already happened. The only thing they heard was a gunshot. Then, there was only desperately screams. Everybody instinctively lowered, mothers were clinging to their kids. Nobody had expected that a tragedy would have come that day. It had been all so quite and beautiful.

Sonic hugged Amy and Tails and said: "Are you both ok?"

Amy had a terrified face and couldn't speak at the moment.

"Yes, I think... What's happened?" Murmured the little Tails, trying to see in the direction of the noise.

"I don't know Tails" answered Sonic, standing up with a serious face. "But I'm going to find it out" And with these last words, he ran into the top of the altar.

_"Listen Knuck, I have some work to do. Go and play with Percy. Simon will always be with you. See you later, dearie." _

_Every morning Knuckles listen to that. His father's job was guarding the Master Emerald so it was obviously a full-time job. Locke spent almost all his time on the top of the shrine, near the big green gem. Only some times he can go down, spending a little time with his loved son. _

_"But daddy! Why can't I stay with you?" _

_Every morning his father listen to that. Usually, at this moment, Locke took the little red echidna in his arms, hugged him and told him he loved him. But then he always added:"You're too young Knuck. It can be dangerous for you and I don't ABSOLUTELY want you to be hurt. Clear?" _

_Knuckles always nodded, looking down. _

_"Good boy." He finally greeted him, stroking his head and giving him a kiss. Simon and Percy then came in. _

_Simon looked always composed and elegant. He had never anything out of place. His son Percy had an energetic character but was also a bit self-centered and violent child. Knuckles preferred to be alone sometimes, than to play with him. But he liked them, they were part of his family anyway. _

_"Let's play 'The King and the Servant'! I'll be your king obviously." Said Percy. He hadn't much fantasy, he just wanted to play this game because he knew only this one and didn't want to try new ones. This game was quite common between the boys of his age, though. Apart for Knuckles: he had a great imagination, he loved drawing and reading books, he always wanted to try new things and explore the world. His favorite books were the archeological ones, and the books which talked about treasures and adventure. Probably because he knew that this wouldn't be his future: he would become the guardian of the Master Emerald, as his father, and that means spending almost all the time in the same place, protecting the gem. _

_"Wake up servant! Were you listening to me?! Get a move on!" Shrieked Percy. _

_"Wh-what?" Stammered Knuckles that heard none of Percy's words. _

_At this point Percy would usually get angry and his revenge against the carelessness of Knuckles was often based on kicks and punches. Elegantly, Simon interrupted his fury and took his child in his arms, telling him that violence is useless and that Knuckles is like a little brother to him. Percy understood, he cried and hugged Knuckles. _

_It was just a game. _

_Simon looked the scene and made a composed smile, probably happy to see his son growing up._

"Wait! I thought we were here to steal that fabulous green gem, not to kill an innocent person!" Complained the white bat, that was spying the entire scene. "Did you know her to affirm she was innocent, Rouge? Plus, this is a perfect moment to spring into action and take the gem, don't you think so?" Answered the other woman.

She was about to take the flight, but was held back by the arm.

"Rouge, what are you doing?! It is our opportunity!"

"Please, look only for a moment this." She pointed to a red young echidna, the one who became the new guardian that day, that was shocked and was crying near the body of the victim.

"Do you think that this is fair?"

"Rouge, the only thing that in this moment seems fair to me is to take OUR emerald! With or without you!" And with this sentence, she took the flight, without waiting for an answer from her colleague.

Rouge remained in silence, watching the unjust end of that person. Although she didn't know her, she knew she didn't deserve that end. Stealing it's okay, but killing for possessing even the most magnificent gem is, without any doubt, unfair.

_In the evening Simon and Percy went home, and began the best part of the day for Knuckles: his aunt Marie stood all the time with him. That particular day was especially important for him, because Simon and Percy went home earlier than usual, Simon had something to do, he said, so Knuckles would stay more time with Marie. They spent an hour ca. reading books. Then Knuckles invented a story (he usually do this) and he was so proud of himself because he was the creator of them and Marie looked always at him with a satisfied glance. _

_"You have a great mind and an enormous heart dear. Don't forget it. You could think that your future job is boring but listen to me: it is a great opportunity to show the others how strong, loyal and good you are. You will protect the citizen and be a guide, a hero for everyone! I think this is a fantastic present you deserve." _

_"And if I don't want any of this kind of stuff? I just want to be free and to know the world. I have no interest in controlling other people as much as I don't want other people who controlled me. I think this isn't for me. I'm just a dreamer, I'm not good at resolve problems and so on. My father is, or maybe also Simon.." _

_"Don't be silly! You're still young now but you will be a perfect guardian I know. And, don't forget: I will always be by your side, holding your hand when you need me."_

"Wh-what's happened? Who did this?" Cried Percy, dropping to his knees near the dead body of Marie.

Knuckles couldn't move.

He couldn't believe that this was really happening. His mouth was open but no words came out. His legs were shaking and his mind was opposed by anger and despair. After some moments that appeared to him like centuries, Knuckles approached Marie, seeing the large wound that had formed too close to the heart in order to be saved. At least she haven't felt so much pain... A small consolation for the red echidna, that have always loved Marie like a second mother. He didn't know how to think, how to react. He just wanted to be alone, to cry trying to expel all the pain that he was bringing on.

Percy put a hand on his shoulders, but not even this helped.

In that moment, appeared on the top of the altar a blue hedgehog, with a serious face, saying: "What's happ..." He stopped his sentence when he saw a body of a not too much old woman, covered by a lot of blood, with the young 'Prince', as Amy would say, near her, with a painful expression.

"Who did this?!" He asked.

Simon and Percy were taken aback to see an intruder in such a delicate moment.

"Who are YOU, first of all! And what are you doing here?!" Asked angrily Percy. Sonic squinted at his interlocutor. Then he added:"Well big boy, ya know, I heard a gunshot and then everyone here started screaming, wondering who did this noise... I'm here just to see with my eyes what had happened."

This was too much for Percy, that approached to Sonic, and with a dark look said: "Are you joking? A person really important to us died and..."

"Wait, wait. She's not simply 'dead', clearly someone had killed her."

Percy was full of anger, even Simon seemed restless and intervened, explaining that there was no need to point it out. They continued to discuss for some times... Until Knuckles couldn't no longer endure all those unnecessary chatter. He stood up and spoke out loud: "SHUT UP! NOW! Stop it... Please..."

He lowered his head, his eyes full of tears. Sonic was really sorry for what happened but his instinct told him that something was wrong. As indelicate it might be seen, they shouldn't remain with folded hands. The culprit was still on the loose. "Have you seen something strange? Heard some particular noise, voice? A stranger with an unusual habit?"

Percy's hands trembled with anger.

"I'm just helping ya find the killer. I don't think that standing still you'll find her murderer."

Percy catch Sonic off guard and threw him a powerful punch on the jaw that knocked him to the ground.

"He is right." Whispered Knuckles, sure of his words. He helped Sonic standing up and when he looked up he saw something nearby. A white bat was talking to someone else hiding behind some bushes not too far away from where they were. What were they doing there? No one comes to Angel Island without a formal invitation... And they have not the appearance of people who came that day there to cheer him.

"I know with whom we have to start." Said flatly Knuckles, looking at the bat, that was not too far away from them. Sonic looked in the direction that Knuckles was aiming with his eyes: "Who is she?" Asked.

"I don't know... Let's go discover it." Then Knuckles run the fastest he could, with the look eager for revenge and his fists loaded backwards.

"Hey! Wait! What are you doing Fist of Fury?! She could be a simply visitor!" Sonic could have reached in a short time Knuckles, if he wasn't stopped again by Percy and Simon, who filled him with questions.

"You haven't answered me yet. Who are you? Why did you come so fast here? Do you believe you are the Good Samaritan of the situation?"

Sonic huffed, dismissing his two interlocutors with a court: "There are more important issues now, it amazes me that you don't even understand it."

And he run as fast as the wind, reaching the red echidna that had just jumped on the white bat, giving her the third degree.

"If I could talk to you I would explain... I can't breathe..." She whispered.

"Hey man, let her breathe. I promise we won't loose her. We need to listen to her explanations."

Knuckles withdrew his hands from his neck. "Speak! Now!" then shouted.

"I think... I know who committed the murder." Rouge began.

"You THINK?!" yelled Knuckles.

"Hey! A track is better than nothing, don't you think so?" Intervened Sonic.

"So let's see who you think it is the murderer." continued Knuckles.

"Well... It's a quite long story honestly... Quite embarrassing too... You won't like maybe the most part of what I'll tell you but... From the very start: My name is Rouge and me and some colleagues are.. Well..."

"Are what?! Hurry up batgirl." Knuckles' impatience was growing.

"... Thieves." Rouge was very difficult to pronounce that word. On one side she felt as if she had just thrown the work of a lifetime to the air; on the other side he was convinced that it was the right thing to do.

"Don't make me laugh! A real thief would never have revealed his identity in this way. Who are you really?" Asked Sonic, skeptical.

"There's a link between what I am and what had already happened." Responded Rouge, quite offense for the 'REAL thief' remark.

She continued: "Me and my team had missions, I was told that today we would have stolen a fabulous big green gem..."

"It is not JUST a fabulous gem, you ignorant!" Said angrily Knuckles.

"Well, for us was enough to be attracted to and wanting to steal it. I swear, I don't know that... They have the intention to do more than just steal the gem... I'm really sorry, if I can do something to..."

"You can't do anything but go away from me and my island! I won't see you and your stupid superficiality NO MORE!" Knuckles was full of anger, he was about to cry again and he can't believe that an innocent person he loved died for a banal gang of thieves.

"Wait buddy! She can help us find the criminals!" Exclaimed Sonic. "Right?" Asked then to her.

"Y-yes, sure..." Answered her.

"Look, blue hedgehog. I actually don't know who you are and you know what? I don't even care! Imagine if I could call you 'buddy' just because for some strange and unknown reasons you decided to help me in this story... You two are conspiring against me? It won't surprise me. But here's something that may surprise you two: do what you want, I don't care anymore. Now there's no one left that is really related to me, that I really love... And if the goal was to kill me, better! I won't suffer no more and put the word 'end' in my totally wrong life." He said in one breath and with tears in his eyes. He didn't let the either two time to reply that he turned and briskly walked towards his castle. Sonic took a step on, trying to reach him, but was stopped by Rouge, that told him: "I don't think it's appropriate to go to talk again with him"

"Maybe not now." And with this last sentence, Sonic walked in the directions of Tails and Amy, leaving Rouge alone.

"What are you doing Sonic?" Asked the two-tailed fox called Tails to his best friend. He was surprised that he was so quite... He was reading something for an hour that morning.

"Dear buddy, I want you to know that now we are ready to go!"

"We? Go where?... What are you talking about?!"

"I don't like staying in one place too long, especially after had seen the tragedy of the day before! So I took some books, that talk about old histories about the echidna tribes of Knuckles, I know his story now and yes, I have to admit that I had overestimated him, he has no simple life. But I wanted to help him. This morning some other criminals (or maybe the same ones as yesterday) have stolen the Master Emerald and the guardian is doing nothing to protect his citizens. Yesterday he was confused and angry and I understood him. But there's something wrong in this whole story and I want to discover what it is. Tomorrow we're going to visit our favorite Fist of Fury, are you with me?" "Well, you know I'm always ready to help you Sonic but... How do you plan to act?"

A big smile formed on the blue hedgehog's face.


End file.
